Page 59 - Malay sketches

AMOK
It is terrible to have to add that both the women

were far advanced in pregnancy.
Imam Mamat was a man of over forty years of
age, of good repute with his neighbours, and I never
heard any cause suggested why this quiet, elderly
man of devotional habits should suddenly, without
apparent reason, develop the most inhuman instincts
and brutally murder a number of men, women, and
children, his nearest relatives and friends. It is,
however, quite possible that the man was suffer-
under the burden of some real or fancied
ing
wrong which, after long brooding, darkened his
eyes and possessed him with this insane desire
to kill.
An autopsy was performed on the murderer's
body, and the published report of the surgeon says :
"
I hereby certify that I this day made a post-mortem
examination of the body of Imam Mahomed, and
find him to have died from haemorrhage from a
wound on the outer side of the internal
right thigh ;
organs were healthy except that the membranes of
the side of brain were more adherent than
right
usual."

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